Friday, February 22, 2008

Strays

Today I spent a train-ride visiting with a lovely elderly woman. She was very well dressed and wore a sparkly clip in her coiffed hair. As we chatted, I couldn't help but notice the crop of three-inch curly hairs sprouting from her chin. It was as though I was staring into the grey-haired face of my future.

I myself grow pretty mean crop of random face hairs. And they seem to increase every year. I'm a bit self-conscious about these dark, wiry buggers and try to keep them plucked. However, I will occasionally be mortified to find a long straggler on my chin and wonder who has noticed it.

I once tried to make Kyle promise that if I was ever in a coma, he would keep on top of the plucking regime. But even after I threatened to haunt him to avenge my hairy death, he only agreed to do it once. After that first time, I would be on my own. That was when I tried to enlist my sister to the task.

This afternoon, as I spoke with the elderly woman on the train, I found her chin hairs refreshing. There's nothing more liberated than a woman whose face says "Screw it. I'm not modifying my body any more." I really do believe that hairiness is just part of being alive and human. I also believe women should be more comfortable and open with the natural processes of their bodies.

Nevertheless, it's much easier to promote these values when the tufts of liberation are declaring freedom on someone else's face.

8 comments:

heather said...

Once I found a rediculously long hair growing on my arm. It was almost a little impressive...

Robin M said...

too funny! i can totally relate. but i don't think i could have articulated it quite as well as you :)

arbyn said...

amen, sister

Aimee said...

great post! tufts of liberation! oh Jamie. unfortunately I relate too.

geeksbewithyou said...

Remember how tufty and liberated your leg was when your cast came off?

Jamie said...

Heather, you love my hairy cast leg... A little too much, I think.

Avey said...

Sometimes when I have loose hair stuck to me (head hair), mark goes to grab it and pretends to pluck it out of me (often from my chest). it makes me SO man EVERY time.

Heather M. said...

Ugh, I hate those things too and I swear they just multiply and grow when I'm pregnant!

I don't know if I feel the same way as you about other women's facial hair though - it just kinda creeps me out.

 
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